Schools Over Stadiums sued over referendum to overturn funding for Oakland Athletics ballpark

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Nevada political action committee claims it is now being sued after filing a petition to force a state vote on public financing for a proposed baseball stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

In June, the Nevada State Education Association formed a political action committee called Schools Over Stadiums. Earlier this month, they filed a referendum petition to repeal funding for an Oakland Athletics ballpark, if the A's get approval to move to Las Vegas.

Two Nevada union leaders are asking a judge to recall the petition in a lawsuit filed this week against Schools over Stadiums and Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar.

In a statement in response to the lawsuit, Schools Over Stadiums president Dawn Etcheverry said, "Educators will not be intimidated or bullied."

"Some in our community claim to support educators and schools, but when we advocate to prioritize public education, they say, 'No. Not like that,'" Etcheverry stated.

The complaint was brought by Danny Thompson, former executive secretary-treasurer of the Nevada State AFL-CIO — which represents more than 150,000 union members from 120 unions statewide — and Thomas Morley, a former union officer and political consultant who previously lobbied to bring the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas.

They're asking a judge to dismiss Schools Over Stadiums' petition on the grounds that it doesn't meet statutory requirements.

“Suing educators trying to put schools first sets a terrible tone for an organization claiming to now care about our community,” said Schools Over Stadiums organizer Alexander Marks. “Educators overcome challenges every day. Schools Over Stadiums is confident our referendum will move forward and we will be gathering signatures to fix Nevada’s misguided priorities in the coming weeks.”

Major League Baseball still hasn't given permission for the team to move to Las Vegas. Earlier this week, commissioner Rob Manfred said he "hopes" owners will vote on the proposed move when owners meet from Nov. 14-16 in Arlington, Texas. Right now, the matter is being discussed by an owners' committee, which is evaluating the team's application before making a recommendation that will be presented to all 30 clubs. The move must be approved by at least 75% of owners.

Meantime, Las Vegas officials are still preparing for the team to possibly move to the valley. Last month, the Las Vegas Stadium Authority said they're working on a development agreement, a lease agreement, a non-relocation agreement, and a community benefits agreement.

The A's lease at the Coliseum is set to expire after the 2024 season. If a new Las Vegas ballpark is approved, it wouldn't be ready until the 2028 season.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this report identified Thompson as the president of Nevada State AFL-CIO. It now reflects that he is the former executive secretary-treasurer.